Sport Communications, B.S.
Program Description
The area of Sport Communications has grown dramatically in recent years, especially in WNY with Pegula Sports and Entertainment now in Buffalo. The Sport Communications program includes the Sociological and Psychological aspect of Sports, as sports reporting today, is about much more than covering games and profiling athletes. Reporting includes areas such as steroid use, racism and other controversial issues. This program combines vital aspects of Mass Media with Sports History, Psychology and Field Placements in the Sporting industry. Students will also have the necessary foundation of writing and oral communication skills that will assist them in their field placements and careers.
In addition, the online sports industry has become a major part of sports, so it is a logical step that there would be an interest/need for a Sport Communications degree. Also, Buffalo is a huge sports town and faculty in both the Communications and Sport Management programs have professional connections with all the local sports teams.
Program Goals
- To enrich students’ understanding of the interconnectedness of sport and media/communications.
- To expose students to the sociological and psychological aspects of sports
- To prepare students to the variety of areas of sport reporting, including racism, drug use, athlete profiling and other controversial topics.
- To prepare students with a necessary foundation of writing and oral communication skills that will assist them in their field placements and careers.
- To familiarize students with all platforms of sport reporting and coverage, including social media, electronic media, print and web development.
Degree earned: B.S.
Total number of credits: 120-121
Credit Distribution
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| General Education Core | ||
| Writing Courses | ||
| ENG 110 | College Writing | 3 |
| or ENG 112 | College Writing for Multilingual Students | |
| ENG/HON 200 | Advanced College Writing | 3 |
| or ENG 202 | Advanced College Writing for Multilingual Students | |
| Critical Dialogues Course | ||
| INT 110 | Introduction to Dialogues in Critical Thinking 1 | 3 |
| American Dialogues Course | ||
| Select one course of the following: | 3 | |
| Photographers, Writers, and the American Scene | ||
| Social Issues in Policing a Multicultural Community | ||
| Justice and Democracy in America | ||
| African-American History | ||
| Cultural Interaction in Colonial North America | ||
| Enduring American Dialogues | ||
| Creative and Reflective Dialogues Course | ||
| Select one course of the following: | 3 | |
| Contemporary Photography as Cultural Landscape | ||
| Beginning Drawing | ||
| Basic Photography: Criticizing Photography | ||
| Introduction to Creative Writing | ||
| Creative Nonfiction Writing | ||
| Creative Expression | ||
| Introduction to Theatre and Performance | ||
| Sustainability Dialogues Course | ||
| Select one course of the following: | 3-4 | |
| Introductory Biology | ||
| Human Nutrition | ||
| Botany | ||
| Enviromental Studies | ||
| Introductory Chemistry | ||
| Scientific Discovery | ||
| Physical Science | ||
| Principles of Physics I | ||
| Global Dialogues Course | ||
| Select one course of the following: | 3 | |
| British Literature I: Middle Ages to the 18th Century | ||
| British Literature II: Late 18th Century to The Present | ||
| Themes and Topics in World Literature & Culture | ||
| Major Global Literary Figures | ||
| Baccalaureate Capstone I | ||
| Medieval World | ||
| The History of Ireland | ||
| History of the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict | ||
| The Arts in Society | ||
| Psychoanalysis & Politics | ||
| Seminar in Religion and Belief | ||
| Classical Music Studies | ||
| Truth & Justice | ||
| Citizenship Dialogues Course | ||
| Select one course of the following: | 3 | |
| Baccalaureate Capstone II | ||
| Capstone in Citizenship | ||
| Psychology Capstone | ||
| MAT 114 | Intermediate Algebra | 3 |
| MAT 201 | Statistics and Society | 3 |
| SPE 130 | Fundamentals of Public Speaking | 3 |
| Major Requirements | ||
| COM 110 | Journalism in the Digital Era | 3 |
| COM 200 | Digital Media Production | 3 |
| COM 211 | Mass Media Writing | 3 |
| COM 380 | Sports and Media Coverage | 3 |
| COM 475 | Media and Society Seminar | 3 |
| COM Any | 3 | |
| COM Any | 3 | |
| PSY 385 | Sports Psychology | 3 |
| SOC 301 | Sports in Society | 3 |
| SPM 220 | Sport Leadership and Management | 3 |
| SPM 320 | Sports Marketing And Promotion | 3 |
| SPM Any | 3 | |
| SPM Any | 3 | |
| SPM Any | 3 | |
| Experiential Learning | ||
| COM 277 | Field Experience I | 3 |
| COM 377 | Field Experience II | 3 |
| COM 477 | Field Experience III | 6 |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences | ||
| PHI 200 | Logic | 3 |
| or PHI 300 | Ethics | |
| PSY 100 | Introduction to Psychology | 3 |
| SOC 100 | Introduction to Sociology | 3 |
| SPE 315 | Advanced Public Speaking | 3 |
| LAS Elective | 3 | |
| LAS Elective | 3 | |
| 300/400 Level | LAS elective | 3 |
| 300/400 Level | LAS elective | 3 |
| Free Electives | ||
| Select 9 credits of Free Electives 2 | 9 | |
| Total Hours | 120-121 | |
- 1
Required of first-year students; all other students may substitute a 300/400 level Liberal Arts and Sciences elective
- 2
May include any College course.
Suggested Sequence
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| First Semester | Hours | |
| INT 110 | Introduction to Dialogues in Critical Thinking | 3 |
| ENG 110 | College Writing | 3 |
| SPM 220 | Sport Leadership and Management | 3 |
| SPE 130 | Fundamentals of Public Speaking | 3 |
| MAT 114 | Intermediate Algebra | 3 |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Second Semester | ||
| ENG 200 | Advanced College Writing | 3 |
| COM 110 | Journalism in the Digital Era | 3 |
| SOC 100 | Introduction to Sociology | 3 |
| PSY 100 | Introduction to Psychology | 3 |
| MAT 201 | Statistics and Society | 3 |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Second Year | ||
| First Semester | ||
| American Dialogues | 3 | |
| COM 211 | Mass Media Writing | 3 |
| SPM (Any) | 3 | |
| COM 200 | Digital Media Production | 3 |
| LAS Elective | 3 | |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Second Semester | ||
| Creative Dialogues | 3 | |
| COM (any) | 3 | |
| COM 277 | Field Experience I | 3 |
| PHI 200 or PHI 300 |
Logic or Ethics |
3 |
| LAS Elective | 3 | |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Third Year | ||
| First Semester | ||
| Sustainability Dialogues | 3 | |
| COM 380 | Sports and Media Coverage | 3 |
| COM 377 | Field Experience II | 3 |
| SPM (any) | 3 | |
| COM (any) | 3 | |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Second Semester | ||
| SPM 320 | Sports Marketing And Promotion | 3 |
| SOC 301 | Sports in Society | 3 |
| SPE 315 | Advanced Public Speaking | 3 |
| 300/400 LAS Elective | 3 | |
| Free Elective | 3 | |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Fourth Year | ||
| First Semester | ||
| Global Dialogues | 3 | |
| COM 475 | Media and Society Seminar | 3 |
| PSY 385 | Sports Psychology | 3 |
| Free Elective | 3 | |
| 300/400 LAS Elective | 3 | |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Second Semester | ||
| INT 450 | Capstone in Citizenship | 3 |
| SPM (Any) | 3 | |
| COM 477 | Field Experience III | 6 |
| Free Elective | 3 | |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Total Hours | 120 | |
Please Note: The above shows the ideal suggested sequencing and scheduling of courses and credits by semester. It is based on eight semesters for a traditionally-structured baccalaureate degree. Degree program requirements and the scheduling of courses are subject to change, based on writing/math placements and course availability. This chart should be utilized a guide and is not a written contract. Students will be notified of changes that may affect their academic progress.